Developers Weigh In On Their Plans For PC, Console, And Mobile Development

Over 2,600 developers that attended last year's annual Game Developers Conference have responded to a new survey on their platform plans. The data helps paint a picture of what the near future landscape will look like.

PC and mobile continue to be popular, with 53 percent of developers currently developing a game for home computers (PC and Mac) and 52 percent targeting mobile and tablet. On consoles, the PS4 has a head start on Xbox One, with 14 percent of developers planning their next game for the former against 12 percent for the latter. Of respondents, only 4 percent are currently working on a Wii U game.

Self-funding is growing despite the popularity of crowdfunding, which is up from 4 percent to 11 percent year-over-year. This year, 52 percent of those surveyed responded that they use their company’s own funds, and 46 percent use personal funds. This is up from 37 percent and 35 percent respectively in those categories last year. This is despite a relatively unchanged split between self-publishing and working with publishers.

Our TakeThe two big takeaways here are the difference between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and the relatively low in-progress titles for Wii U. On the former, I attribute the difference to independent developers. Microsoft is still behind on self-publishing, whereas Sony has had content on the PlayStation 4 from day one.

As for the Wii U development, it isn’t surprising, but it does put behavioral data up against some of the library concerns. This doesn’t change anything about the Wii U. It doesn’t mean that there are new concerns. We’ve instinctually known this, but now have the numbers to back it up. It just means that Nintendo has to fire on all cylinders with its first party library to move consoles to inch that number up for next year.

Interesting to see so many name PC as what they're developing for. I would like to know who actually made these claims, because if it's just a bunch of indie studios that skews the data and isn't an accurate representation of the entire gaming development population.

"Microsoft is still behind on self-publishing, whereas Sony has had content on the PlayStation 4 from day one."
That's going to change somewhat, but MS still has at least one major policy in place that indies have said they don't like. And it's that if you sign up to their indie program you aren't allowed to release your game on another console before the Xbox One. BetaDwarf told Nintendo Life that they could've released their game in January for the Wii U, but they have to now wait unti lthey finish the Xbox One version because of MS policies. Here's Fullbright talking about why the parity clause makes the PS4 more appealing to indies
http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/21/playstation-4s-better-terms-make-it-easier-for-indies-says-g

2600 developers, and 2000 of them are "indie" =). I'm reminded of a joke I once heard; if you are an out of work producer or writer, just tell everyone that you are starting a blog so that it doesn't sound like you can't get a job. There are sure to be some gems next year, but as the industry grows it sure does pinch out a lot of turds as well. It's getting almost too difficult to find the games that speak to you when everyone is screaming for attention and you only have so much to give. Video games are starting to look more and more like a market square, with merchants shoving their produce in your face and throwing garbs over on you without asking. madhouse...

Nintendo's strategy? The Wii U will basically just be the machine that plays Mario Kart 8. I have no idea if betting all the chips on one game is blind faith or genius, but I suppose come May 30th to early June we'll find out.
As for PC? Damn. Steam's making money fall from the sky.
Just goes to prove that PCs and mobile are the new money and consoles the old. Consoles are simply growing to be more and more luxury items for people whereas PC and mobile are necessities. They're what people use for work, school, and socializing the most. It's why they'll always get more games.
Casual players flock to PC and mobile right now while the consoles still gather the old-school. There's loyalty in smaller numbers over larger ones with more cash. Hardly worrying when the Big Three's boy's club will fight tooth and nail to keep at it. PC and mobile rely on numbers, consoles rely on that one magic game.

This makes me glad to be a PC and mobile gamer, specially now that I upgraded my rig and my iPad last month.
But, even though developing for mobile is no longer a profit maker, as a user you have a hell lot of options.
I was planning on developing a game for mobile, but guess I'll go PC.

Seems a bit skewed if you think of how companies like EA, Ubisoft, Capcom, Konami, Activision, Platinum, and so on; will make console exclusive games(be for the Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo). But many indies will develop for the PC only, seeing as it is much easier to develop PC games if you're a small team(2-10 people). Not saying I don't take indies seriously, but I'm excited for whatever Hideo Kojima is doing over the guy who made Hotline Miami.

I wonder when all these developers are going to get into actual PC manufacturing. Because tanking PC sales doesn't seem to bode well for the future of development, unless Valve can get traction with the Steam boxes.

No handheld numbers? I assume if 3DS numbers were mentioned, Nintendo would look like they are in less of a bad place. Granted, the Wii U is in a horrible place, but the 3DS is what has helped Nintendo float by for the last two or three years and software for it comes out every other week.